Although it was always a goal to visit the facilities in Bangladesh, initially we wanted to make sure that all the money raised was spent on surgery rather than on airfares. However, as the level of donations grew we realised that it was becoming increasingly important for us to monitor how the money was being used by personally visiting the site. Our initial attempts to get to Bangladesh were thwarted by extended monsoons, but in October 2008 we finally managed to get to Bangladesh (at our own expense). From this trip there were several takeaways which have also been confirmed in subsequent trips. Firstly, it was obvious that the local ophtalmologists perform extreemly well. The team is professional, well qualified in India and the UK, and in addition to their work at Mymensingh they mentor doctors in other eye hospitals in Bangladesh. Secondly, it was abundantly clear that the money from the donors is carefully and efficiently invested. Finally we recognised that for us to achive our goals we need to be more proactive and creative in our fundraising and in the acquisition of donors. Our subsequent stays in Bangladesh, particularly in the Eye Hospital in Mymensingh, confirmed us the professionalism of the team and efficiency in terms of best economic use of the raised money.
